


Great Expectations

by iftheskyisthelimit



Series: I Could Live Forever Here [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Childhood Trauma, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Religion, Theo Raeken Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 11:45:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14519826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iftheskyisthelimit/pseuds/iftheskyisthelimit
Summary: Four times that Theo should have been helped as a child with what was happening to him, but was he either failed, or stopped before he could be helped, and the one time he found someone to help… three of them…A prompted side story to “I Really Wish That You Could Help”





	Great Expectations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [manonlemelon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/manonlemelon/gifts).



> I haven’t abandoned the main story for this - I Really Wish That You Could Help - , I hit a little slump writing wise due to life and illness and this prompt wouldn’t leave me alone so I decided to write this first… hopefully you’ll all like it. Possible tissue warnings!! (I did warn you… it gets dark-ish) 
> 
> Manonlemelon prompted an idea for a story about people who were supposed to help Theo, or who he should have been able to speak to and this is what I made of it… hope you’ll like this!!
> 
> ***Warnings*** - mentions/hints of child abuse, emotional/psychological child trauma.

** 1 - The School Nurse - **

He walks slowly down the corridor towards the nurses office, clutching the envelope Miss Martin gave him, being careful not to walk too fast. He’s still sore from Saturday, and even at his young age, he knows he’s been sent to the nurse because he could barely sit down without wincing and because of the mark on his eye, he curses himself for not getting to class this time before the teacher arrived.

He knocks softly on the door, hoping that the nurse won’t be in her office, when he hears her call “Come in…” he takes a deep breath, opens the door and walks into the bright office. She stands up almost instantly when she sees him “Theo! What happened?” he doesn’t have time to formulate a reply to her question before he’s told “Sit yourself up on the bed and I’ll take a look at you.” He holds out the envelope and walks over to the bed and once her back is turned to put on her gloves, he bites back the wince and hops up on the bed. As she walks back over to him she asks “So what happened?” as she opens the envelope and pulls out the note.

“I was playing football with my cousins and one of them kicked the ball and it hit my face” he holds his hand up to indicate the bruise around his eye. 

She looks him up and down, he wonders if she believes him, but he knows he’d rehearsed this explanation for his injury until his dad was satisfied that he wouldn’t falter. “Huh… and Miss Martin wrote that you were having trouble sitting down?” she questions. He hadn’t been made to rehearse an explanation for this. He looks down and hears her sympathetic sigh. It’s not the first time he’s heard it, the very first time he heard it he almost broke and told her, but the school had already called his parents regarding his injury that time, and his dad had knocked the office door just before he’d told her. He can’t help the tears that start to form, he’s been told what will happen if someone finds out. “Theo… sweetie…” she trails off as he looks up before continuing to ask “…did someone do this to you? Is someone hurting you?”

“I…I… it’s…” he trails off as his fathers warnings from the last time he almost told someone echo in his mind _“I’ll kill your mom… then I’ll kill Tara and make you watch them both and they’ll know it was because you told… then I’ll kill you…”_ he realizes he can’t tell her. He instead tells her “I told you I was playing football with my cousins.”

“I don’t think you’re telling the truth Theo…” she rubs her hand on his knee to give him strength and he stops himself from flinching from the touch “…you can trust me you know.”

“I..” he falters before he blurts out “I wasn’t telling you the truth earlier…” She crouches so that he has to look down at her and nods, signaling for him to continue. He takes a deep breath and squares his shoulders “It was my cousins…” she looks puzzled and he quickly tries to explain “We got into a fight when they came over, and I can’t tell my parents…please don’t tell them!” She looks doubtful and something springs to his mind that usually makes people stop speaking to other people. “I have a sore head” he quietly mutters as he hold his hand to his forehead.

She sighs and stands up and walks over to the sink, returning with a wet cloth she tell him “I won’t tell your parents this time, but promise me that if something like this happens again you’ll tell them, or at least fight back kid…” He nods and she motions for him to lay down on the bed, when he does she places the cloth on his forehead before quietly saying “You stay here for an hour, I’ll go explain to Miss Martin where you are, ok?” 

He nods slightly and quietly thanks her “Thanks Mrs McCall.” He closes his eyes when he hears the door closing behind her.

 

 

** 2 - Reverend Thomas - **

Theo sighs as he hears the group leader tell them “Now then children… it’s that day when you get council with the minister” happily like it’s the best thing to happen to them since the time they’d had it last month. He wouldn’t mind it, he’d even looked forward to it at first… Then he’d spoken to the minister last month… His mom had told him that this council is a chance to speak about and seek guidance on anything that is troubling a person, that everyone in the church, even the children, got this opportunity - and that the minister gives good Christian advice. He sits at the table drawing until he’s called into the room with the minister.

“Hello Theodore…” the elderly minister happily greets him, his Irish accent making the words sound happier and lighter, and beckons for him to sit in the chair opposite him. He walks to the seat, sitting down as the man continues “…how have you been this month?”

He decides to follow what he’s been taught and be honest, he’s confused about everything that’s been happening recently and this man gives answers he’s been told. “Not good Sir…” 

“Oh? Why not? Whats been happening son?” the minister asks him as he picks up a glass of water from the table between them. He takes a drink and splutters when the boy speaks. 

“I.. I told you last time…” Theo starts, but he stops speaking when the glass of water is put down on the table a little too loud and the man leans forward in his seat.

The man shakes his head “Not this again Theodore. I thought we’d had a talk about this?”

“We did, but it happened again…” He can tell that the minister doesn’t believe him as the man sighs, he adds “He hurt me I swear!” for emphasis. 

“I told you last time that your father isn’t that sort of man…” he shakes his head again as Theo opens his mouth to speak, holding up a hand to stop him. “He’s not. Your father is a good man, he’s a good Christian. He would never do anything bad to you, he loves you.”

Theo brushes away the tears as something in the ministers words clicks and he asks “Do you think he loves me?”

The man chuckles lightly and nods “Of course he does. He’s done everything for you and your family son.”

“But he hurt me…” Theo starts to explain before he’s cut off.

“Now… He would never do anything to hurt you deliberately… it’s only human to hurt people by accident or without meaning to, but I know he loves you so much.” Theo thinks that if the minister is correct, then his dad had only done it because he loved him. And if the minister said it’s okay then it must be. He nods and he man asks “Are we dropping this topic now?”

“Yes Sir” he replies, he’s not sure what else to say. It still doesn’t feel normal or right, but he thinks it must be okay so he really has nothing else to add.

“Anything else on your mind young Theodore?” the minister asks, adding “We still have a few minutes left to talk?”

“No.. uh… thank you Sir.” Theo replies and stands up, as he walks to the door his mind is still rolling with everything that’s happened and what the minister told him.

The minister laughs and says “I wish you’d stop calling me Sir son… you can call me Reverend Thomas.”

“Thanks Reverend Thomas” Theo says as he opens the door and goes back to the table to continue drawing.

 

 

** 3 - The Sheriff -  **

He’s sitting in the office with Mr Stilinski after one of the deputies had brought him to the station. She’d stopped him in the park, he’d been heading to the swings when the woman had asked him what he was doing out here at this time on his own. He’d lied and told her his dad was running in the park. 

The Sheriff tells him “If I’d known it was you they’d brought in I’d have had you in here sooner and out sitting out there.” 

Theo only nods and murmurs a quiet “Thanks.”

“They called your dad when they brought you in, he should be on his way” the man tries to reassure him.

“I… Can I stay with you and Stiles tonight?” he asks, he knows what will happen when he gets home.

“Theo is everything okay?” the sheriff asks him with a concerned gaze.

He starts to reply “I… he…” when the door to the office opens and his father walks in. He quickly wipes the tears away.

“Thanks for calling Mr Stilinski…” Jonathan says as he walks into the Sheriffs Office, taking a seat across the desk from the Sheriff next to his son “…I was so worried. Annie had to leave in a hurry earlier today with Tara while Theo was at school, her mom took ill and had to be rushed into hospital and she lives in Idaho…” he looks at his son and reaches out to hold Theos shoulder, Theo tenses and a sharper hold warns him not to pull away as his father looks back to the Sheriff, continuing “…he was upset that they didn’t wait for him, he loves his nana, and he kicked off when he found out they left without him… he must have climbed out the bedroom window when I sent him up to his room.”

The sheriff straightens up in his chair and sighs before saying “Yeah no worries Jonathan…” he turns his attention to Theo “Theo, don’t you wanna apologize for worrying your father for being out alone so late, especially when he’s already worried enough?” The sheriff asks him. Theo looks down to his lap and shakes his head slightly, he can’t go home with his dad, he knows what will happen when he gets home, alone, with his father. The sheriff says “Theo…” in a tone that’s half concern and half annoyance.

He hears his dad sigh deeply, ever the concerned parent, and say to the sheriff “That’s okay sheriff, it’s a tough time for us all right now. I’m just glad he’s okay…” Theo looks up to the sheriff hoping to catch his eyes and that he won’t send him home with his dad, but the mans attention is solely focused on the other adult in the room, who continues “… we’ll just get out of your hair and get back to sleep.”

Both men stand up and a touch to Theos neck from his dad tells him to do the same. “See you guys around… and I hope Annies mom is doing better” the sheriff says as he holds his hand out and Jonathan shakes it. The sheriff then looks down to Theo, who is slowly trying to step away from his dad, and addresses him “Theo… if you’re sad about not being with your mom or worried about your nana talk to someone and tell them. You can’t keep running away like this son, it’s not safe…”

“Apologize to the sheriff Theo, I’m sure he has better things to be dealing with at this hour than another stupid runway kid…” his dad tells him instantly.

Theo thinks that the sheriff doesn’t know he’s safer outside at night than he is at home with his dad. “Sorry sheriff… I will.” he tells the man.

Before he can open his mouth to say anything else he’s quickly herded out of the station and tightly belted into the front seat of his dads car. “Where I can keep a good eye on you…” his dad tells him as he gets into the drivers seat and rests a hand on his sons knee as he starts the car

 

 

** 4 - Scott - **

It’s times like this that Theo starts to aim for, it’s these moments that make him feel almost normal, like he’s a normal kid with a normal family who’s just playing basketball with his friend. They’re playing in the backyard of he McCall house where Theo is staying overnight while the rest of his family are out of town, he’d put up such a fuss about having to go with them that his mom had finally put her foot down and told his dad that he was staying with his friend tonight. “So when will your parents be home?” Scott asks.

“I’m not sure… my dad has a meeting and my mom decided to take Tara and go with him” Theo answers as he shoots and gets the ball through the basket.

“Not fair! You get every time!” Scott exclaims then asks “They didn’t want you to go with them?” as he picks up the ball and bounces it as he moves away from Theo.

“I didn’t want to go, I wanted to stay here…” he stops himself before it all comes out about how he’d rather be dead than go on another family trip. 

“Yeah cause Beacon Hills is so great…” Scott says as bounces the ball.

“Better than being on a family trip…” Theo says sullenly as Scott cuts him off by running past him, he doesn’t even try to get the ball back, and Scott shoots for the basket. He misses. 

“Damn! Even when you’re not trying to put me off I can’t shoot” Scott bursts before saying “You have to teach me how you do it!”

Theo jumps back into himself “Do what?” he quickly questions his friend, looking panicked as he asks.

“How you get the ball in the hoop every single time!” Scott laughs as Theo picks up the ball, ready to show Scott the best way to get the ball in the hoop.

That’s when the shouting starts from inside the house, Theo freezes and drops the ball instantly, a shocked look on his face. Scott laughs and walks over to his friend “Dude it’s just my mom and dad arguing, they do this all the time…” 

Theo tries to make himself laugh and asks “Really?”

Scott nods and confirms “At least every second day if not more. I just ignore it and come out here to play.” He bends down and grabs the ball from where Theo had dropped it.

“Oh…” Theo starts but trails off. He decides to continue “…my parents argue a lot too I guess.”

“See… it’s just parents man… let’s just play and they’ll eventually stop” Scott brushes off the argument while Theo hopes that the McCalls don’t argue like his parents do. “C’mon, show me how you get the ball in the hoop almost every time.” They spend the next hour drowning out the argument from inside the house, which gradually gets quieter, as Theo shows Scott the best ways to aim for the hoop itself, not the board. The game gets a lot more competitive once Scott picks up on what Theo has shown him, and Theo wishes he hadn’t bothered.

They are interrupted from their third game which is coming up as a draw when Melissa calls them in for dinner.

 

 

**1 - The Dread Doctors** -

The scientists visit him in his dream again tonight, they had left him alone for a while after he’d told them to, because his dad hadn’t believed him and had threatened him a spiritual cleansing if he’d continued to speak about the robotic men who came in his dreams… They’d listened to what he’d asked of them and left him alone for a while.

But they’re back now, and he finds that he’s glad to see them, they came tonight because he’d cried out for them as he fell asleep, which means they’d heard him. “You called for us?” the leader of the small group asked him. 

“I…” he trembles and corrects himself “…I’m not sore here.” he states, only just realizing that he isn’t bruised or sore.

“You are not…” The female one steps forward as she adds “You can be like this always.” 

“You left me alone when I asked you to…” He reasons, before he can say anything more he’s cut off by the leader speaking again.

“We told you that you have the ability to be powerful Theo Raeken…” Theo notes they didn’t use his proper name either at his request as the leader continues “…you called for us after what happened to you tonight and we came.”

“My dad. He… he uh…” and despite how many times this has happened to him he still can’t bring himself to speak the words about what he now knows is very wrong.

“Your father has touched and hurt you too often.” The female states as she walks closer to him. Theo knows its hard to pick up on their tone with the way these people speak in those robotic strained voices, but he swears he can hear a certain amount of disgusted coursing through her voice. He can only nod as they all step closer to him now. He’s still afraid of them, but he wants the power that they’re offering him, he’s attracted to the idea of having power for the first time in his life to stop his dad… and these people can give him that. But the price he has to pay is one he can’t bring himself to.

“Have you considered our offer?” the smaller one who hadn’t spoken yet asks him.

“I… I want the power, I want to be powerful. I want to stop him. But I, I can’t do that.” he explains.

“She wants you to have it” the leader tells him. He’s been told the same thing since they first offered him power, and every time he refused. 

Tara has always been the golden child in their fathers eyes, and Theo stopped interacting with willingly since she was old enough to know she was the apple of their fathers eyes and cast it over him. He’s found that lately he’s becoming more willing to pay their price with the worse things have gotten at home, tonight was particularly bad.

The leader explains “You can be so powerful Theo Raeken, you can stop your father before he hurts her too. But that is your price.”

“I,,,” he gasps as he sees himself finally hitting back, his dad trembling on the floor.

“You can have all of that and so much more.” The female one tells him.

“We can give you so much power, I can help you.” The smaller one speaks next as he steps back.

The leader steps in front of Theo and speaks “We can give you a family, a proper family that you will lead.”

Theo cries because what they are offering him is better than anything he’s ever had. He nods and agrees “Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> The Sheriff part may have looked familiar, I used the same scene that I’d written in the main story since some of you had opinions about it, but I’ve added a little bit in it to fill it out a little more for this concept…
> 
> Regarding the part about the minister, I’ve not been to church or sunday school since I was very young so I apologize if that’s not what happens with the kids getting one on one time with the church leader… I’d also like to clear up now, I’m not insinuating that the minister knew or supported what was happening to Theo, he was trying to convince Theo to stop speaking about his dad like that because in his eyes Jonathan was a good loving father and a good Christian man who wouldn’t do that to his child. 
> 
> Hopefully it wasn’t too dark and you all liked this. I *SWEAR* I am capable of writing happier things, but angst and darker stories just flow easier for me for some reason…
> 
> As always, please let me know your thoughts whether good/bad/indifferent!


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